Coin deposit and dispensing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a coin deposit and dispensing apparatus having a till filling distributor unit comprising a set of a plurality of releasably mounted till filling distributors, each till filling distributor comprising a wide upper opening, a narrow lower opening, and a pipe-like structure between these openings, where the till filling distributor unit is designed in such a way that in a dispensing operation a till filling distributor is located below each dispenser involved in the dispensing operation, whereby each till filling distributor is adapted for receiving coins from a dispenser located above said distributor into the wide upper opening of the distributor and to guide the coins through said narrow lower opening to a portable cash receptacle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus comprising
 a cabinet serving as an apparatus housing for said apparatus; 
 a control means for controlling said apparatus; 
 a cash processing module adapted to receive a deposited mass of coins; and 
 a plurality of dispensers for coins to be dispensed, said dispensers each comprising a hopper mounted on an ejector/counter, said each of said hoppers having an upper part for receiving pre-sorted coins or coins from said cash processing module and a lower part connected to the ejector/counter; 
 wherein, in a deposit operation, said dispensers are adapted to receive said deposited mass of coins for buffering therein; and 
 wherein, in a dispensing operation, said dispensers are adapted to dispense a specific composition of coins, under control of said control means, to a portable coin receptacle at a dispense location, 
 characterized in that 
 there is a till filling distributor unit comprising[a set of] a plurality of independently, releasably mounted till filling distributors, including at least a till filling distributor having a first cross-sectional design and a till filling distributor having a second cross-sectional design different from the first design, each till filling distributor comprising a wide upper opening, a narrow lower opening, and a pipe-like structure between these openings, where the till filling distributor unit is designed in such a way that in a dispensing operation a till filling distributor is located below each dispenser involved in the dispensing operation, whereby each till filling distributor is adapted for receiving coins from a dispenser located above said distributor into the wide upper opening of the distributor and to guide the coins through said narrow lower opening to a portable coin receptacle. 
 
     
     
       2. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the openings of each of said till filling distributors have a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
       3. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the set of till filling distributors comprise at least one till filling distributor for which the centre of the narrow lower opening is not located directly below the centre of the wide upper opening. 
     
     
       4. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the cross-section of the upper opening only partially overlaps the cross-section of the lower opening in a view from above. 
     
     
       5. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said control means is a means for connecting the apparatus to an external control unit, such as a personal computer or a network, selected from a set of cable connections or a means for enabling wire-less connection. 
     
     
       6. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said plurality of dispensers are arranged in two parallel rows and that a till filling distributor is arranged below each dispenser in the till filling distributor unit. 
     
     
       7. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the dispensers are arranged in a zig-zag pattern. 
     
     
       8. The coin deposit and dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cash processing module includes a coin acceptance module for processing the deposited mass of coins, and
 wherein, in the deposit operation, the dispensers are adapted to receive a deposited and processed mass of coins for buffering therein. 
 
     
     
       9. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus comprising
 a cabinet serving as an apparatus housing for said apparatus; 
 a control means for controlling said apparatus; 
 a cash processing module adapted to receive a deposited mass of coins; and 
 a plurality of dispensers for coins to be dispensed, said dispensers each comprising a hopper mounted on an ejector/counter, said each of said hoppers having an upper part for receiving pre-sorted coins or coins from said coin acceptance module and a lower part connected to the ejector/counter; 
 wherein, in a deposit operation, said dispensers are adapted to receive said deposited mass of coins for buffering therein; and 
 wherein, in a dispensing operation, said dispensers are adapted to dispense a specific composition of coins, under control of said control means, to a portable coin receptacle at a dispense location, 
 characterized in that 
 there is a till filling distributor unit comprising 
 a frame means and 
 a plurality of independently, releasably mounted till filling distributors, each till filling distributor comprising a wide upper opening, a narrow lower opening, and a pipe-like structure between these openings, the till filling distributor unit being designed in such a way that in a dispensing operation a till filling distributor is located below each dispenser involved in the dispensing operation, 
 wherein each till filling distributor is independently, releasably mounted in said frame means, is adapted to be independently, releasably mounted in a plurality of configurations and positions within said frame means, and is adapted for receiving coins from a dispenser located above said distributor into the wide upper opening of the distributor and to guide the coins through said narrow lower opening to a portable coin receptacle. 
 
     
     
       10. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said till filling distributors are slidably mounted in the frame means. 
     
     
       11. A coin deposit and dispensing apparatus according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the frame means is slidably mounted in the apparatus. 
     
     
       12. A till filling distributor unit suitable for receiving coins from a coin dispenser and releasing coins to one or more portable coin receptacles, said till filling distributor unit comprising
 a plurality of independently, releasably mounted till filling distributors, 
 each till filling distributor comprising a wide upper opening for receiving coins from a dispenser, a narrow lower opening for releasing coins into a portable coin receptacle, and a pipe-like structure between these openings and being adapted for being independently, releasably mounted in a plurality of configurations and positions in said till filling distribution unit, 
 wherein, the openings have a substantially rectangular cross-section, and the plurality of independently, releasably mounted till filling distributors includes at least a first till filling distributor having a first cross-sectional design and a second till filling distributor having a second cross-sectional design different from the first design. 
 
     
     
       13. A till filling distributor according to  claim 12 , wherein the centre of said narrow lower opening is not located directly below the centre of said wide upper opening, and wherein the till filling distributor is adapted for being independently mounted in said till filling distribution unit in a plurality of configurations and positions. 
     
     
       14. A till filling distributor according to  claim 13 , wherein the cross-section of the upper opening only partially overlaps the cross-section of the lower opening in a view from above. 
     
     
       15. The till filling distributor of  claim 12 , wherein said till filling distributor is further adapted for being slidably mounted in the till filling distribution unit.